Hold On to Tomorrow
by Dana1
Summary: *Chapter 3 is up!* The BSC is going back to California but it's not for a visit.
1. Mary Anne gets bad news

Time: Hold On to Tomorrow  
  
Author: Dana  
  
Rating: G  
  
Warnings: None really  
  
Summary: The BSC is going back to California but it's not for a visit.  
  
Author's note: My first BSC fic. I loved this series growing up and even at twenty-five I've been known to read the books. Yeah I'm weird.  
  
Time frame: After Dawn permanently moves to Cali but before Mary Anne's house burns down. I'm not covering the California Diaries because I don't know a thing about them.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own anybody that you've seen in the books.   
  
*Mary Anne*  
  
"When splinting a broken leg you must..." The voice on the video in health class was interrupted by an announcement over the intercom.  
  
"Mr. Jones is Mary Anne Spier in class today?"   
  
"Yes she is."  
  
"Please have her come to the main office and collect her things from her locker."   
  
I got up gathering my notebook and binder wondering why I was being called to the main office. I made a stop at my locker and grabbed my coat and backpack. When I got to the main office I saw my father standing there. Shouldn't he be at work? Oh no what if something happened to Sharon? Stacey was once called away from class because her mother had collapsed.   
  
Dad gave me a hug, which was unusual. Dad's not too comfortable with doing that in front of people. "We need to talk." He said quietly.  
  
"There's a small room over there." The secretary spoke up.  
  
Dad led me over there and we sat down. He didn't say anything right away. "Did something happen to Sharon?" I asked right away.  
  
"No Sharon's fine. It's..."  
  
"Oh no did someone die?"   
  
"No Mary Anne. It's..."  
  
"What's the matter then?"  
  
"Mary Anne let me tell you." He said putting his hand on mine. "Sharon got a phone call from Carol today." Carol's the stepmother of Dawn and Jeff who are my stepsister and stepbrother. "Dawn hasn't been feeling too well lately so they took her to see her doctor last week. They just found out today that she has leukemia."  
  
Tears started to fall. Not Dawn. I thought. Now I was crying hard. Dad just held me. Not Dawn not Dawn not Dawn I kept saying mentally. Not my sister.  
  
Please not my sister. 


	2. Claudia's Two Phone Calls

*Claudia*   
  
The phone was ringing when I got upstairs to my room after a baby-sitting job at the Marshal's. "Hello Baby Sitters Club?" It was early but you never know.  
  
"Claudia? It's Mary Anne." There was a lot of noise so I could barely hear her.  
  
"Mary Anne? Where are you?" I asked. She hadn't been in English or at lunch today so I had been wondering where she went.   
  
"Airport. My flight leaves in ten minutes. You need to reschedule me for awhile. I have a job at the Pike's tonight. I don't know when I'll be back. It's Dawn." She was crying I could tell even over this bad connection.   
  
"Mary Anne did you say something about Dawn?"  
  
"I have to go to California. It's Dawn she's..." there was a click. "Claudia are you still there?"  
  
"Yeah I'm here. Mary Anne what's wrong with Dawn?"  
  
"Did you say something? Claud I can't hear you. I've got to board plane will talk to you later."  
  
And then she hung up.  
  
Something was wrong with Dawn is all I know. But what? Had to be important for Mary Anne to be flying to LA. I tried calling Dawn's number but there was no answer. But then again it's only a little after 2 there. But then again wouldn't Mrs. Bruin be there or Mrs. Schafer?  
  
I took out a Snickers bar and started eating it hoping to take my mind off of worrying.   
  
"Claudia?" Abby asked. I shook myself out of my reverie. I hadn't even heard her come up.   
  
"Oh hi Abby." I said. "I didn't hear you come up."  
  
"I didn't think so. You okay?"  
  
"I don't know." I waited until the other members of the Baby Sitters Club arrived.  
  
"This meeting of the Baby Sitters Club will come to order. Anyone know where Mary Anne is?"  
  
"I got a phone call from Mary Anne a half hour ago. She was at the airport and was going to California. All she said was she would be gone and didn't know when she'd be back. We needed to reschedule her jobs. She said something's wrong with Dawn."  
  
"What's wrong with Dawn?" Stacey asked.  
  
"I don't know. The connection was bad and I could barely hear her. But she had been crying." I said.  
  
The phone rang and Kristy answered it. "Hello Baby Sitters Club. Dawn! How are you? Mary Anne called and said she was going there?" I could literally see Kristy's face fall. She doesn't cry often but she looked like she was about to. "Are they sure? Oh Dawn I'm so sorry! Uh huh." She reached for a notepad and wrote something down on it. "I'll let you talk to the others." She handed the phone to Jessi and then actually left the room. I heard the bathroom door close. I went out to see if she was okay. Shannon and Abby followed me.  
  
She was sobbing. "Kristy?" I knocked.   
  
The door opened. "Dawn's got leukemia."  
  
I felt like someone had just slapped me in the face. I couldn't believe it. Not Dawn.   
  
I was the last one to talk to her. She sounded tired. "Dawn I just heard. How are you feeling?"  
  
"Drained. I start chemo tomorrow. I wish it wasn't happening. But talking to you guys made me fill better. I wish you guys could be here. It would be better if you all were."  
  
We talked for a few more minutes. As I hung up I had an idea. Maybe we could be there.   
  
***  
  
Notes: next chapter is Dawn's POV. That should be written soon too. sorry chapters are short. They'll get longer I hope. 


	3. Dawn’s Diagnosis

Notes: This goes back a bit to about a week before and then catches back up to present. Thanks to: http://www.marrow.org/MEDICAL/aml.html#symptoms for all it's information on AML. Thank you for all the reviews. I feel blessed. And I love Lurlene McDaniels too. I got hooked on her books in 5th grade. I claim a couple of characters in here: Tori and her family, and Dr. Thompson. Tori and her family will be a bit later.  
  
Dawn's Diagnosis  
  
"Hey Dawn are you okay?" Maggie asked me after Gym that day. I was trying to stop a cut from bleeding on my knee after taking a dive in volleyball.   
  
"Yeah. I just can't get this cut to stop bleeding." I looked down at my knee again. The Band-Aid I had put there was already bright red. I sighed and put another Band-Aid over it. Thank goodness there was only one more class left today. I didn't have much planned except I did promise to go with Carol to Dr. Thompson and help her with Gracie. Which reminds me. "Maggie can you tell the others I can't make the meeting? I'm going with Carol when she takes Gracie to the doctor."  
  
"Sure no problem."   
  
We walked out of the gym. I headed for history and she headed for Spanish. I noticed my knee was still bleeding. Maybe I should mention that to the doctor when I see her. I mean it's sort of not normal for it to bleed that long right? It wasn't that big of a scratch.  
  
After school Carol picked me up which I was glad of. I don't know why but I just haven't been feeling well lately. I wonder if it's mono. When Mal had it she said she felt run down and caught colds easily and stuff. That's how I feel.   
  
When we arrived at the doctor I let Gracie be examined before saying anything.   
  
"Doctor Thompson can I ask you a question?"  
  
"Sure Dawn."  
  
"Can you like test me for mono or something?"  
  
She chuckled. "Why do you want to be tested for that?"  
  
"My friend had it and she said she felt tired all the time and caught colds and stuff easily and that's how I feel. And I cut my knee during gym and it bled for a long time."  
  
She stopped chuckling. "What else Dawn?"  
  
"I have bruises I can't explain."  
  
"Dawn I'd like to test you for a few things if that's all right with you Mrs. Schafer. This could be as simple as mono or it could be worse. But we'll never know unless we test. Or it could be nothing at all"  
  
"Sure. Better safe then sorry." Carol said.  
  
So they drew blood. And then she gave me some antibiotics and told me that they should know by Monday. It was Wednesday. Oh and to stay in bed until then. Fun.  
  
The ride home was quiet except Gracie's constant cooing. "You want to call your mom when you get home and tell her?" Carol asked.  
  
"No. It's probably just mono." I saw worry etch across Carol's face but she didn't say anything.   
  
"I'm sure it is honey." She said patting my hand.   
  
The next few days were boring. I was tired but wasn't tired enough to lie around all day. By Monday I was stir crazy but luckily that was when the call came.  
  
Sharon answered it. I was in the kitchen working on some homework.   
  
"Hello? Hello Dr. Thompson. No her father's at work. You got the results. Oh I see. Now? Well I'll have to call Jack so he can meet us there. I'll call and let you know when we'll be there. Thank you."  
  
"What?" I asked when she hung up.  
  
"Honey your tests came back and she wants to talk to us about it right away. I'm calling your father so he can meet us there."  
  
I knew one thing. It was most likely not mono.  
  
***  
  
When we arrived at Dr. Thompson's office dad was waiting outside of the door. "Don't worry Sunshine. I'm sure it's nothing."  
  
I hoped so.   
  
When we entered her office we saw that there was an older man with her. "Please have a seat." She said indicating the seats across from her desk. I sat between Dad and Carol who both held my hand. "Dawn the blood test came back showing that there are too many white blood cells and not enough red ones. And considering all of your other symptoms we have been able to diagnose you. You have acute myelogenous leukemia."   
  
"Are you sure?" Dad asked. "I mean Dawn hasn't been sick."  
  
"Yes we are sure. I've checked several times to be sure."  
  
"So what happens now?" Carol asked. I was still in disbelief.   
  
"We'd like her to go to the Children's Hospital in Los Angeles right away. So she can begin treatment right away. The sooner she starts chemotherapy the better." Dr. Thompson said.  
  
I was in so much shock. I thought it was mono. I had no idea it was leukemia. What would happen to me? Sunni's mother died from throat cancer. I don't want to die.   
  
Please God. I don't want to die. 


End file.
